2008 GSP Fundraiser Ottawa November 8

2008 GSP Fundraiser Ottawa November 8

"Chuchitos, empanadas, chiles rellenos, plantains, coconut bread and other Guatemalan delights were served tapas style at the November 8 Guatemala Stove Project fundraiser at the home of Otto Navas and Anne-Marie Robinson. More than 80 guests sampled the foods prepared by members of the local Guatemalan community and enjoyed performances of salsa dancing by the host and hostess, belly dancing by Maya Naim, melodies from latin operas sung by James Zacour and Pauline Van Der Roest and Latin folk and modern music by David, Jose and Marvin of the Flores Brothers Trio.

Guests also placed bids on a range of silent auction items. Representatives from several other Latin American countries attended, out of town guests from Montreal and Perth, as well as Miss Festival Latino, Karin Donis.The event raised over $4000.00 for the Stove Project which builds masonry cooking stoves for the indigenous Maya people of the highlands of Guatemala. The majority of the Maya still cook over indoor 3 stone-fires which cause respiratory diseases, blindness and burn injuries. $1000.00 of the money raised will go towards purchasing medicine for the Mobile Medical Clinic which the GSP funded and delivered to Guatemala in January 2008. John Giokas acted as emcee and was instrumental in getting the guests up and dancing at the end of the evening.